And then by this:
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297220828372860930" />I've decided to make my own flow chart. And it goes a little something like this, hit it.
Pack Your Bags, We're Moving!
4 years ago
Friday, January 30, 2009
Flow Chart Fun
After being inspired by this:
And then by this:
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297220828372860930" />
I've decided to make my own flow chart. And it goes a little something like this, hit it.
And then by this:
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297220828372860930" />I've decided to make my own flow chart. And it goes a little something like this, hit it.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Y'all Suck
Or in Snob lingo, AYHSMB.
Typical old white people, let's move closer to nature, then kill it.
The problem started some time ago when acorn woodpeckers decided to take up residence in several homes in the woodsy community setting nestled between Lafayette and Walnut Creek. The birds drilled holes in the homes to store nuts. The holes damaged the homes, and the sound of the birds pecking drove some residents crazy.
Why don't you people pack up and move to the Tenderloin, no woodpeckers to bother you there.
I know, you're old, and it's your "God Given Right As An American®" to shoot anything you want.
If there were such a thing as poetic justice, the "sharpshooter" would accidentally take out a couple cotton balls on their way to bingo.
Typical old white people, let's move closer to nature, then kill it.
The problem started some time ago when acorn woodpeckers decided to take up residence in several homes in the woodsy community setting nestled between Lafayette and Walnut Creek. The birds drilled holes in the homes to store nuts. The holes damaged the homes, and the sound of the birds pecking drove some residents crazy.
Why don't you people pack up and move to the Tenderloin, no woodpeckers to bother you there.
I know, you're old, and it's your "God Given Right As An American®" to shoot anything you want.
If there were such a thing as poetic justice, the "sharpshooter" would accidentally take out a couple cotton balls on their way to bingo.
Monday, January 26, 2009
In Review- Cycling and Music and Plays (Oh My!)
Yesterday was installment two in my return to bike racing. The question remains; Will I get fed up before I can get good at?.
If you're looking at getting into cycling, Fatty has a great post on getting into cycling.
Only two weeks until the Tour of California comes through town. I'm looking forward to it. I've haven't seen a pro race since the days of the Coors Classic. Even cooler is that all my favorite riders will be there: Thor, Sparticus, Boonen, and Lance.
Arwen's play is really good. Go see it if you can.
The new Ben Nichols album is awesome. I've also just discovered Gaslight Anthem and have been catching up to speed on them. Gaslight Anthem and Centro-Matic have to be the two best music discoveries for me since E and I saw Glossary and Jessica Lea Mayfield at the Bottom of the Hill.
Going to see Jason Isbell in Cleveland. Isbell is awesome, and the Truckers are awesome, but the two are most awesome when they are together. I hope I don't have to wait too long for them to get back together.
And one more thing to brighten up a Monday:
THE Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has dropped yet another clanger, infuriating women with the suggestion that a recent spate of rapes will not stop until there "are as many soldiers on the streets as there are pretty girls".
If you're looking at getting into cycling, Fatty has a great post on getting into cycling.
Only two weeks until the Tour of California comes through town. I'm looking forward to it. I've haven't seen a pro race since the days of the Coors Classic. Even cooler is that all my favorite riders will be there: Thor, Sparticus, Boonen, and Lance.
Arwen's play is really good. Go see it if you can.
The new Ben Nichols album is awesome. I've also just discovered Gaslight Anthem and have been catching up to speed on them. Gaslight Anthem and Centro-Matic have to be the two best music discoveries for me since E and I saw Glossary and Jessica Lea Mayfield at the Bottom of the Hill.
Going to see Jason Isbell in Cleveland. Isbell is awesome, and the Truckers are awesome, but the two are most awesome when they are together. I hope I don't have to wait too long for them to get back together.
And one more thing to brighten up a Monday:
THE Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has dropped yet another clanger, infuriating women with the suggestion that a recent spate of rapes will not stop until there "are as many soldiers on the streets as there are pretty girls".
Breastaurant
What a great word.
But now, inspired by the success of Hooters’ wings-toting female staff, restaurants such as Twin Peaks, Bone Daddy’s and other local operators with cute waitresses, cold beer and a male clientele are, well, busting out all over. And Texas, where the sole Hooters’ franchisee is both the chain’s sales leader and No. 1 in locations nationally, is a prime market for the "breastaurant" concept.
But now, inspired by the success of Hooters’ wings-toting female staff, restaurants such as Twin Peaks, Bone Daddy’s and other local operators with cute waitresses, cold beer and a male clientele are, well, busting out all over. And Texas, where the sole Hooters’ franchisee is both the chain’s sales leader and No. 1 in locations nationally, is a prime market for the "breastaurant" concept.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Good on 'im
Sure, I'd like to see more, faster. But it's a step in the right diection. Coming after so many leaps in the wrong one, it's quite welcome.
Obama signs order to close Guantanamo in a year
"The message that we are sending the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly and we are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," the president said.
Obama signs order to close Guantanamo in a year
"The message that we are sending the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly and we are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," the president said.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Eight Years Is A Long Time To Wait
But that's nothing compared to what some people have had to wait.
A Black woman in the crowd awaiting the inauguration ceremony had photographs of all her dead relatives taped to her body. She could barely speak through her emotions, but finally said she had wanted her whole family, dead and alive, to be in Washington, DC, to share the history and the momentousness of the day. There are a whole lot of eyes wide open today, and not all of them can be seen, but they all see what happens here.
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America."
Liberation Day
A Black woman in the crowd awaiting the inauguration ceremony had photographs of all her dead relatives taped to her body. She could barely speak through her emotions, but finally said she had wanted her whole family, dead and alive, to be in Washington, DC, to share the history and the momentousness of the day. There are a whole lot of eyes wide open today, and not all of them can be seen, but they all see what happens here.
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America."
Liberation Day
Monday, January 19, 2009
Two Minds
Part of me thinks "Who Cares?" and part of me thinks "How bloody hard is it to keep your mouth shut?"
Biden tries to shush wife after state-VP slip
Biden tries to shush wife after state-VP slip
Not So Bad
Yesterday was my reintroduction to criterium racing. Not having done one in 10+ years, I had pretty low expectations. Mostly I didn't want to embarrass myself. From my prior experience, I knew I had to keep near the front of the pack and I had to corner well. If I could corner well then I wouldn't have to work as hard to stay near the front.
Watching the race before me, I could see guys getting dropped and I figured that would be me, so I told myself that if it happened I'd just wait a lap and jump back on and do the best I could do. I was a little concerned that I would be so bad that it wouldn't even be worth the trip. But one way or another, I was going to find out.
From the start of the race, things felt pretty good. I was in the back at the start, and stayed there through the first corner, then moved up going into turn 2, then moved up a little more before turn 3... before I knew it, we'd completed a lap and I was feeling really good. The next lap I moved my way up a few places more, then a few places more, and I was feeling good. I was holding a good position, I wasn't losing much in the corners, I wasn't wasting a bunch of energy, and I felt good. I was moving around in the field, taking an inside line on one turn, an outside line on another, getting myself comfortable and looking around to see who were the wheels to follow.
Five laps to go and I was still feeling good, I was actually starting to devise a strategy for winning this thing.
Then the pace picked up a bit, and as I got tired, I got a little sloppy. I got stuck out in the wind for too long, then I took a bad line through turn one and had to work pretty hard to stay with the guys I needed to stay with. Coming through the last lap, there wasn't much recovery time. For some reason (probably laziness) I managed to unclip on turn 2, by the time I clipped back in it was all I could do to catch the field. As I was catching back on to the back, the attacks started at the front, and I couldn't respond. There was a pretty nasty crash in the final sprint, but I heard everyone was ok (except for one carbon frame).
All in all it was good. If I can point to things that I did wrong that made a difference, it means I was part of the race. Being part of the race was my main goal going in and I'm happy it worked out.
Next week the expectations will be higher.
Watching the race before me, I could see guys getting dropped and I figured that would be me, so I told myself that if it happened I'd just wait a lap and jump back on and do the best I could do. I was a little concerned that I would be so bad that it wouldn't even be worth the trip. But one way or another, I was going to find out.
From the start of the race, things felt pretty good. I was in the back at the start, and stayed there through the first corner, then moved up going into turn 2, then moved up a little more before turn 3... before I knew it, we'd completed a lap and I was feeling really good. The next lap I moved my way up a few places more, then a few places more, and I was feeling good. I was holding a good position, I wasn't losing much in the corners, I wasn't wasting a bunch of energy, and I felt good. I was moving around in the field, taking an inside line on one turn, an outside line on another, getting myself comfortable and looking around to see who were the wheels to follow.
Five laps to go and I was still feeling good, I was actually starting to devise a strategy for winning this thing.
Then the pace picked up a bit, and as I got tired, I got a little sloppy. I got stuck out in the wind for too long, then I took a bad line through turn one and had to work pretty hard to stay with the guys I needed to stay with. Coming through the last lap, there wasn't much recovery time. For some reason (probably laziness) I managed to unclip on turn 2, by the time I clipped back in it was all I could do to catch the field. As I was catching back on to the back, the attacks started at the front, and I couldn't respond. There was a pretty nasty crash in the final sprint, but I heard everyone was ok (except for one carbon frame).
All in all it was good. If I can point to things that I did wrong that made a difference, it means I was part of the race. Being part of the race was my main goal going in and I'm happy it worked out.
Next week the expectations will be higher.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
More Fighting the Good Fight
Steve Irwin can dock in Australia: govt
Anti-whaling vigilantes are hoping for a party when they arrive in Australia, after the federal government said it would let them in despite a Japanese request to bar them entry.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Steve Irwin has suspended its pursuit of Japanese whalers through Antarctic waters and is heading to Hobart to refuel.
Japan had requested the "pirate-like" group be refused entry.
The government had prevaricated on the issue but on Thursday said the protesters would be allowed in.
Anti-whaling vigilantes are hoping for a party when they arrive in Australia, after the federal government said it would let them in despite a Japanese request to bar them entry.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Steve Irwin has suspended its pursuit of Japanese whalers through Antarctic waters and is heading to Hobart to refuel.
Japan had requested the "pirate-like" group be refused entry.
The government had prevaricated on the issue but on Thursday said the protesters would be allowed in.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Why Not?
Dear Jim,
This email confirms that your order at www.USACycling.org has been successfully processed.
On behalf of our nearly 60,000 racing members, I would like to thank you for renewing your membership with USA Cycling, home of the rapidly growing sport of competitive cycling in America. In addition to providing access to more than 2,500 races nationwide, USA Cycling is proud to offer an increasingly valuable benefit package to all of our members in 2009. Also, in recognition of our continuing commitment to you, we will be working diligently to add even more valuable benefits in the near future.
First race (such as it is) is Sunday.
Shame is a powerful motivator.
This email confirms that your order at www.USACycling.org has been successfully processed.
On behalf of our nearly 60,000 racing members, I would like to thank you for renewing your membership with USA Cycling, home of the rapidly growing sport of competitive cycling in America. In addition to providing access to more than 2,500 races nationwide, USA Cycling is proud to offer an increasingly valuable benefit package to all of our members in 2009. Also, in recognition of our continuing commitment to you, we will be working diligently to add even more valuable benefits in the near future.
First race (such as it is) is Sunday.
Shame is a powerful motivator.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Black Monday
Starting with the astonishing odds that the Earth was formed (and if you don't believe that the Earth was formed, just leave.) and the Humans evolved in the first place, the odds of two people ever meeting have to be incalculably small. At least that's how I see it. If Stephen Hawking wants to tell me I'm wrong, then I'll listen, otherwise I'll continue to believe it.
The way I see it, on any given day I am in loose contact with hundreds of people. Potentially there are dozens of these with which interaction is accessible. Given that some people are more gregarious than others, maybe a couple/few of these interaction take place. For simplicity, let's just say that I'll interact with one new person a day (this is probably small, but will work to illustrate the point). Over three years, that's almost 1100 people. Thinking back over those three years, I can easily remember the people who have made an impact on my life, there were 19. Of those 19, the amount that had an actual influence on my life...
sidetrack. Impact means that meeting the person made an impression on me. For whatever reason, meeting this person caused a bump that jostled me from cruising through life unawares.
... is 6. Six people, out of 1095 is .5%. By comparison, this is only a slightly higher percentage than of me getting killed by gunshot.
The point of all this is:
Laura has moved on to hopefully better things. She made my job, and my life, better by her presense. Since no one can replace her, we're not going to try.
The way I see it, on any given day I am in loose contact with hundreds of people. Potentially there are dozens of these with which interaction is accessible. Given that some people are more gregarious than others, maybe a couple/few of these interaction take place. For simplicity, let's just say that I'll interact with one new person a day (this is probably small, but will work to illustrate the point). Over three years, that's almost 1100 people. Thinking back over those three years, I can easily remember the people who have made an impact on my life, there were 19. Of those 19, the amount that had an actual influence on my life...
sidetrack. Impact means that meeting the person made an impression on me. For whatever reason, meeting this person caused a bump that jostled me from cruising through life unawares.
... is 6. Six people, out of 1095 is .5%. By comparison, this is only a slightly higher percentage than of me getting killed by gunshot.
The point of all this is:
Laura has moved on to hopefully better things. She made my job, and my life, better by her presense. Since no one can replace her, we're not going to try.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Bike Blogging Goodness
BKW + BSNYC = PRO
Bragging is another unforgivable crime. Strong cyclists never need to brag. You brag with your legs. Road riding is about class, and class is the absence of whining and bragging.
Bragging is another unforgivable crime. Strong cyclists never need to brag. You brag with your legs. Road riding is about class, and class is the absence of whining and bragging.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Some Good Reads
Both at Salon, which can be a pain to access, but worth it.
Neoconservatism dies in Gaza
W. and the damage done
Neoconservatism dies in Gaza
W. and the damage done
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Perils of Relying on Foreign Fuels
Russia-Ukraine gas crisis intensifies as all European supplies cut off
But analysts point out that, since the last serious crisis broke out in 2006, Europe has done very little to avert shortages. Instead of creating an integrated market, drawing on alternative energy supplies, countries have simply drawn up individual contracts with Gazprom, increasing dependence on Russia.
This could be a hell of a lot worse than $4/gallon gasoline.
But analysts point out that, since the last serious crisis broke out in 2006, Europe has done very little to avert shortages. Instead of creating an integrated market, drawing on alternative energy supplies, countries have simply drawn up individual contracts with Gazprom, increasing dependence on Russia.
This could be a hell of a lot worse than $4/gallon gasoline.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Hope Will Only Get You So Far
At some point Obama's going to have to step up to the plate.
Obama is losing a battle he doesn't know he's in
As the Gaza casualty headcount goes up and Obama keeps his head down, those sentiments are beginning to sound a little hollow. The danger is that when he finally peers over the parapet on January 21, the battle of perceptions may already be half-lost.
Obama is losing a battle he doesn't know he's in
As the Gaza casualty headcount goes up and Obama keeps his head down, those sentiments are beginning to sound a little hollow. The danger is that when he finally peers over the parapet on January 21, the battle of perceptions may already be half-lost.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Goals
I'm not one for resolutions. That being said, there are things that are best measured by the calendar. So, being that 2009 has begun, here are some things I wish to accomplish:
1) Have more bike miles than car miles
2) Complete a century
3) Do a Cyclocross Race
4) Go back to Europe
5) Get back in the air, if not in my plane, than at least get my medical and BFR signed off so I can legally fly again.
Short and sweet. No sense making this into a wish list. None of these are unrealistic so I'll have no reason to not do them all.
1) Have more bike miles than car miles
2) Complete a century
3) Do a Cyclocross Race
4) Go back to Europe
5) Get back in the air, if not in my plane, than at least get my medical and BFR signed off so I can legally fly again.
Short and sweet. No sense making this into a wish list. None of these are unrealistic so I'll have no reason to not do them all.
Lessons in Terrorism
The War on Terror Didn't Work
Meanwhile, the Iraq war has left Iran - the primary sponsor of both Hezbollah and Hamas - with far more influence in the region than they would have had. On almost every front in almost every part of the world, including in the US, the war on terror is now seen as a colossal mistake. Only Israel did not get the memo. And it is now set to fail for the same reasons that America has.
Meanwhile, the Iraq war has left Iran - the primary sponsor of both Hezbollah and Hamas - with far more influence in the region than they would have had. On almost every front in almost every part of the world, including in the US, the war on terror is now seen as a colossal mistake. Only Israel did not get the memo. And it is now set to fail for the same reasons that America has.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Are We No Longer the A**holes of the World?
Israeli ground troops invade Gaza to halt rockets
"Gaza will not be paved with flowers for you. It will be paved with fire and hell," Hamas warned Israeli forces.
"Gaza will not be paved with flowers for you. It will be paved with fire and hell," Hamas warned Israeli forces.
Saturday
Nice day for a mountain bike ride. Not too cold today, at least at the start. I think it got colder as the day went on. All in all, the temp was fine and the day was about as clear as can be.
Some pics with the new cam.
Some pics with the new cam.
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